Tony Burman, of the Toronto Star, former head of Al Jazeera English, and now a journalism teacher at Ryerson University, says that our government’s “passionate pro-Israeli stance” has damaged Canada’s reputation throughout the Middle East “after decades of being one of the world’s respected ‘honest brokers’ on Mideast issues.”
That phrase “honest broker” seems to me one of the most dubious of Canadian clichés. I have not once in several decades seen it applied to us by a citizen of some other country.
In my experience, it’s one of those compliments many Canadians, and only Canadians, pay to Canada.
Burman expresses nostalgia for an attribute that hasn’t existed, so far as I’m aware, since the 1950s.
More from my site
Right wing folk music of the 60s. No, not a ‘Mighty Wind’/’Bob Roberts’ type parody- Transcript of Ezra Levant’s talk this past Monday
- Sun News continues its coverage of the TDSB, the police and Arnie & I (videos)
- ‘When I have to teach the heavy stuff about race, I make sure my hair is done, my outfit is cute’